The College Search is Here… Already?!

I can’t believe my kids are looking for colleges already. Didn’t I just drop them off at Pre-K yesterday? I swear I still remember labeling every tiny backpack and packing their first little lunches. Now suddenly, I’m staring at glossy college brochures and financial aid charts, and it feels like I blinked and arrived here overnight.

I knew this stage was coming, but wow, it hits hard. It’s a very loaded topic for any parent, but I think it’s still a shock when you’re in it for the first time. You’ve spent years raising these kids, teaching them to tie their shoes, helping them survive middle school drama, making sure they could parallel park. And now, somehow, it’s time to send them out into the world on their own?

Of course, there’s the emotional side of it — the idea of my kids leaving home, living in dorms, and starting their lives without me hovering nearby. That’s a lot to process. But then there’s the logistical side, which feels equally overwhelming: figuring out how to manage the college search process, how to make the right decisions, and (the big one) how to pay for college.

As a single mom who was able to go back to full-time work about a decade ago, the idea of funding higher education is mind-blowing. I’ve hustled through plenty of part-time jobs, balanced everything I could, and finally reached stability — but planning for college expenses is a whole new level of challenge. I’m not sure which part scares me most: the application process, the finances, or just facing how fast my kids are growing up. All I know is that I’m not the only mom lying awake at night, running numbers in my head, wondering if I’m doing enough.

I keep reminding myself this isn’t just my journey — it’s something every parent has to navigate, one way or another. And maybe that’s the silver lining: I’m not alone. We’re all juggling these fears, dreams, and deadlines together.

I’ll be writing more about this college planning season as I figure it out myself — sharing what’s helpful, what’s terrifying, and maybe a few funny stories along the way. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a single mom, it’s that sometimes laughing through the panic is the only way to survive.

So here we go: college tours, essays, financial aid forms, and a lot of coffee. Deep breath, moms. We’ve got this.